MPs investigate Kisumu's use of Covid funds

The National Assembly Health committee has began investigating the utilisation of Covid-19 funds in Kisumu and pledged to be "firm and truthful".

"We have called the Health Ministry and Kemsa and now we are in counties to investigate how the funds were utilised and in what ways," vice chairman Joshua Kutuny told the media on Friday in Kisumu.

Committee members have also visited Eldoret and Mombasa on fact-finding missions.

The committee consulted leaders, obtained documentation and visited the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. 

Kutuny said Kisumu has been allocated more than Sh160 million to fight the virus and lawmakers want to know exactly how the funds were spent and where.

"We are happy they have given us documents and told us the total amount already spent and where. As a committee we will confirm if this is the case as presented in the documents," Kutuny said.

He assured residents the committee will conduct a thorough investigation and "will stand firm and truthful" during the process.

The government has allocated billions of shillings to handling the pandemic and the counties received funds but apparent misappriation, irregujlaraned overcharing  nasoa.

MP Owino Peters (Ndihwa, Homa Bay) the committee will take its time to collect all the facts before presenting its report to the National Assembly.

"We represent the interest of Kenyans and also the value of money when we appropriate it," Kutuny said.

Seme MP Nyikal James urged residents in the region to strictlh ahere to health directives as more cases are being reported in Kisumu.

"As the number of cases continue to decline in Nairobi we are seeing an increase in Kisumu and this is a concern, hence, the need to follow directives," he said.

He said people should not relax just because the cases nationaly appear to be declining because it's not known whether cases will increase. The Health ministry has been emphatic that the curve has not been flattened.

 " We have seen countries closing down again after relaxing because cases declined, so we need observe directives."

(Edited by V. Graham)